Freshman Caleb Elferink is a dedicated athlete with high hopes of starting on Lake Brantley High School junior varsity baseball team. His dreams surpass the high school level and go straight to Major League Baseball (MLB), where he hopes to become either a center fielder or a pitcher.

Although Elferink is currently playing for Brantley’s JV grey team, baseball was not his first choice. He initially wanted to play on a football team but this idea was immediately shot down by his parents, who did not want him involved in such a dangerous contact sport. After waiting for about a year he started playing recreational baseball and immediately fell in love with every aspect of the game. This includes everything from stepping up to the pitcher’s mound to going up to bat. Although Elferink has put in a lot of training over the years he is no longer in little league and has to adjust to an entirely new level of play.

“I’ve been playing baseball for about nine years and there isn’t much a difference at the high school level,” Elferink said. “For me it’s always just been hit the ball, run, and don’t get out. The way I see it no matter how old you are, where you are, or who you play with baseball is baseball.”

Elferink’s family are not the only people who have supported him throughout his baseball career. His friends, former coaches, and teammates have played a huge role in his athletic upbringing. Especially his teammates who demonstrated the benefits of commitment, hard work, teamwork, and discipline every time they have stepped on the field or cheered for the team when on the bench.

“Caleb is a hardworking, energetic, determined leader when he is on and off the field, plus an overall cool guy,” freshman baseball player and Elferink’s former teammate Bryson Gamage said. “He is definitely a team player. Over the years, during conditioning and part of tryouts I saw that he really has the ability to lead and work with others.”

While in conditioning which took place in late January, future players had to run two miles, sprint repeatedly on the track, and do stadiums. The stadium exercise is when players face the football field stadiums and run up and down the steps until the coach tells them to stop. Although some players have claimed conditioning is brutal, difficult, and painful it is necessary to prepare players for the upcoming season.

“Although difficult conditioning isn’t as hard as other players make it out to be,” Elferink said. “It definitely helps that I’ve been playing for so long and workout consistently over the summer, so I guess that makes it easier on my body. Most players have a real hard time dealing with it but I was only sore for the first week. Granted I could barely walk.”

Brantley’s JV grey baseball team was victorious for their first game against Lake Howell on Tuesday Feb. 2.  The score was 10-2 with Brantley up the entire game. Everyone was extremely enthusiastic about the team’s first win and they cannot wait until the next one.

“I was anxious and excited for my first game in spring ball,” Elferink said. “The team as a whole played great, we executed all the plays necessary to win and we were able to blow Lake Howell out in the process.”